The InTervIew : Kit and tim Kemp
outlook on the boutique hotel segment and the hotel industry in general , how they run their company and more .
HOTELS : Describe the boutique hotel sectors in London and New York .
Kit Kemp : They have never been more vibrant , especially in London . There are a lot of hotels opening , and competition is intense . You only get one crack at winning the guests over , as they are going to try other places to stay . If they can see how you maintain your hotels with attention to detail , that determines whether they return .
Tim Kemp : In both cities it is a bit of a throwback , really , to the way hotels formerly were — privately owned by individuals very much tied to the management with a focus on details , individuality and bespokeness . H : So how does Firmdale differentiate ? KK : It ’ s the attention to detail in responding to what
The
Kit+ tim Kemp file
Roles : Tim Kemp is Firmdale Hotels ’ managing director , focusing on property development , while Kit is the design director . The Kemps co-founded Firmdale in 1985 .
FiRmdale Hotels : The privately held company owns most of its hotels and operates all of them . Its portfolio includes seven hotels in London and one in New York City . Two additional hotels in each city are under development . Firmdale ’ s primary customers are age 35 to 55 and work in the media and performing arts industries .
stoRy oF FiRmdale ’ s logo : “ We put one of those life-size half mannequins in every guestroom , and they ’ re all different ,” Kit Kemp explains . “ They are like sculptures , really . Guests can put their hat on the top or wrap their coat around it , and it is quite interesting how people have used them in the room . We ’ re famous now for having one in the room , and that ’ s how it emerged as our logo .” www . hotelsmag . com January / February 2014 HOTELS 45